Housing

Ingress

​There are a lot of things to consider once you have a found a place to live. Read more here about rules of conduct, insurance, housing allowance and household finances.

Sidinnehåll

Insurance

It is important to have an insurance policy that protects you and your possessions. In Sweden 95% of all households have home insurance. A home insurance policy is a fundamental means of protection which can pay you compensation if your possessions are stolen or damaged by fire or water. A home insurance policy also covers anyone who is named in the policy and lives in the same home. All home insurance policies also include travel insurance.

An accident insurance policy can pay you compensation if you become injured in an accident. Accident insurance is often added to a home insurance policy, or can be a separate insurance policy taken out by private individuals.

Household finances

The money you earn has to cover all your costs. It is often a good idea to make a simple budget. Begin by collecting all the information about your expenses and income during one month, and then use this information as a basis for planning the following month. Sometimes you can lower your costs by choosing cheaper alternatives, and on other occasions you can save money by choosing a higher-quality alternative which will last longer.

Contact a bank to open a bank account and get a bank card. On the Internet you can see how much money you have in your bank account and pay bills.

Housing allowance

If you have children or you are under 29, you are entitled to apply for housing allowance. You must live and be registered in the population register in Sweden to get housing allowance. Whether you can get housing allowance and, if so, how much you can get depends on how many people there are in your family. It also depends on the amount of your rent, the size of your home, and your earned income. It is Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) that decides whether you get housing allowance.

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Home equipment loan from CSN

If a municipality has received you as a refugee or a relative of a refugee, you can apply for a loan so that you can buy furniture and things for your home. How much you can borrow depends on how many there are of you in the family, and if you're renting furnished or unfurnished. The loan then has to be paid back. You also have to pay interest on it. CSN determines whether you are eligible for a home equipment loan.

Non-payment record

It is important that you pay your bills on time. If you delay in paying your bills and debts, you will receive letters reminding you to pay. If you still don't pay, your bill will be sent to a debt collection company. This means you may get a record of non-payment attached to your name. If you continue not to pay your bill, the matter will be passed on to the Enforcement Authority, whose task it is to help those who have money claims to collect them. The Enforcement Authority will also ensure that the person who has a debt to pay receives support and guidance to resolve the situation.

A record of non-payment of debt is a sign that you have not managed you payments properly in the past, and may mean that you have difficulties getting a bank loan, renting a flat, getting a job or even a telephone subscription in the future.

If you do not have any money

Income support is also called social assistance or financial assistance. It is help for a person who does not have any money. If a person who applies for income support is able to work, they must look for work at the same time. They must also take part in other activities arranged by the social services.

If you do not take part in activities arranged by the social services, you can have your application refused and not get any money. Generally you are not entitled to money from the social services if you have money in the bank or own something expensive, a car for instance.